Director Venting My Frustration: Scheduling Team Meetings

[dannyzmom]

So pissed. Need to vent. Disclaimer: I have PMS.
So, I schedule our entire year's team meetings and announce them in January. In other words - they all KNOW when our meetings are MONTHS in advance.

I clean my house, I miss out on time with my children...for what?? Nobody RSVPs til the day before or the day of - I have to CHASE them for RSVPs...and then the texts start rolling in the day of the meeting "I can come but I can only stay an hour" (new team member who missed last month's mtg and refuses to take online training classes...wants to figure it all out herself), and "Sorry I can't make it - I have to take my son to practice" (well you had the meeting schedule months ago - you couldn't arrange for someone to take him?) etc etc...I am pissed. I want to cancel the whole friggin meeting but I know I owe it to the two that are coming to give them the best damn training I can.
I want to send an email out to all of them saying "Do you realize the time and work and planning and printer ink and family juggling it takes every month to do one of these fucking meetings??? But I know they all have different goals and some of them are just in th biz for the whopping 20% discount and the 2x a year 50% discount. Losers. I hate them all. Well, almost all of them. Most of them.
WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
And then the two who are coming? They come EVERY month - they drive 40-50 mins to get here. Why can't I just duplicate them????? I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cranky.
Would it be wrong of me to send an email out to the team REMINDING them of the meeting schedule and asking them to NOT be losers and to PLEASE put the dates on their calendars?? Or maybe just a status up date on FB saying "I need NEW BLOOD on my team because of the 29 people I currently have, only 2 are actually working their businesses" - would that be out of line?
PLEASE PASS THE CHOCOLATE:grumpy::devil::bawl::help:

 

[almondfarm]

<HUGS> Carolyn! I know how it feels, except for I have the meetings at a location outside of my home so I don't clean, but it is so frustrating that no one can make it to the meetings, but then they are just stunned that they don't know what is going on with the new season/promotions and catalogs!

And of the ones I have coming a couple don't even work their business, it is just a social night out for them!

 

[finley1991]

HUGS!!!! :candyheart:

 

[pamperedlinda]

So sorry Carolyn! I know how you feel, only one on my team is consistent with coming to meetings - so very frustrating!

btw....I think it's funny that you disguised "p*ssed" and then dropped the f-bomb in your rant

If it makes you feel any better, I still love you!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Carolyn I could have written your OP. Well, except I don't say p*ssed or the f word...I was feeling EXACTLY the same a few weeks ago. I had had my August meeting. Three people. One who works her business most months, one submits every other month and the third submits once every six months or so. They shot down my topics especially about pantry shows. The worker hadn't submitted in July and had nothing on her calendar for August. When that came up she got all squirrelly and said she was in a slump and don't add pressure. I reminded them that it was August 4 and they had the whole month. I was soooo discouraged I wanted to just skip having meetings altogether.Fast forward... The worker got a couple random orders so she got on the phone to make it a show. She even called her pantry customers. She got plenty to make that a show and an August booking (ended up being an $850 show) and a booking in Sept and Oct. Presto! Attitude change. Now she admits that she really wants all the going places bags. At the August meeting she could have cared less about that. September meeting had two people. Her and my other worker. Better meeting but I really wanted those other Debbie Downers here to hear her success while it was fresh.I sent out a survey and those that responded said they can't always come but they want it to stay the same day and every month. Most did not respond so for now I take it that they don't care so it's every other month. I have new people coming on board and will meet with them in between. If things change I'll change it back to monthly but for now I'm still upset with them. And I will not be giving away the store any more. HO gives them enough for what little they do! ...oh that's another thing. The once in six months consultant went in to my office and said so what do you have to give away to us?! Urrrgggg!!

 

[Sheila]

Big (((HUGS))) sweetie! I know you are really mad and venting but I have to confess that I'm worried about waking my napping toddlers because I'm laughing at the thought of you telling them off. That would be fun, huh? I'd set a deadline for the RSVP for printing purposes. Tell them that it really bothers you to waste paper & ink trying to guess how many will be there or when there are last minute cancellations and that you really need those who are serious about wanting to learn & grow their business to RSVP in the affirmative. If they RSVP "no" or fail to respond, you won't be planning on their attendance. My theory is the only valid excuses for saying "yes" and not showing up would involve a Police Car, an Ambulance, a Fire Truck or an ER ... but that's me! Yes, definitely reward the ones who want to work their business. They might be PC's next NED.

 

[cookingwithlove]

I know how you feel. My meeting was yesterday and on Thursday I thought I had 2 people coming. I ended up with 15! I had a recipe night scheduled for Last Wednesday and not 1 person RSVPed back to me about coming. So I cancelled it the day before so I could go to soccer practice with the kids. Well a couple of people emailed me and said they were disappointed that I cancelled it because they were planning to come. At the meeting, someone asked what about Recipe Night and I flat out told them, I am happy to have recipe night. I don't care if it is only consultants and no guests that come, but I need to know if anybody is coming. We all complain about our hosts and customers not returning calls. I can say the same about you. Nobody told me they were coming and when I cancelled it the day before, a couple of you complained. Again, i am more than happy to have recipe night, but you need to let me know if you are or are not coming." I think they got the hint. We will see if they do or not.

 

[Nanisu]

Mine don't even respond to surveys. The ones that come every month are the ones that connect...and we have 3 hospitality that come EVERY month. BUT the team is jelling and they get along. I have scaled back what I do at meetings because of this very thing. No more games, etc. Mine is tonight, so far I have 7 coming, but its 2 pm. About 4 the phone will start ringing....

 

[jwpamp]

So sorry! I have the same people come every month -- and I live at least 30-40 minutes away from everyone. I do get 10 or so at a usual meeting....but if it was me who was just getting 2, I may go to doing a phone meeting one month and a real meeting the next. Or maybe take the 2 who do always come out to dinner this month and tell everyone else what a great time you had (jealousy??). Oh, only do it once, mind you, as a reward to them, but don't tell the others that it won't be happening again!

 

[PCJenni]

I go months with a few and have a big influx because of my personal recruiting. Since most of my personal recruiting is within a 90 minute radius of my house, I get it that some won't/can't come.But like others, the ones that do come regularly make an effort and I keep on track because of them. i never change my meeting schedule around for anyone else. My schedule fits my family and my show schedule. If someone complains that they can not attend on Tuesday night or mornings... well go ahead and promote and have your own meetings!

 

[CoidgigBese]

Here, Carolyn, some nice Ghiradelli for you. Pick your poison - 60%, 72%, 80%. I can't believe my fellow cheffers. Ladies, we have a PMSer here with a crisis and I'm the first to offer her the requested chocolate?!?!

Type out a long, ranting e-mail to your team. Save it as a document. Go back to it tomorrow. Never send it, but hopefully having put it down in addition to venting here will help get the frustration out. I'm focusing on my personal business and getting new blood.

 

[jennyl]

Sending chocolate your way, Carolyn! I like the suggestion to write down what you want to say, but don't actually send it.

I had a similar feeling with my meeting a couple days ago. I got text messages 1-2 hours before the meeting from several people bailing.
That left one definite yes! But since I only have 2-3 that are pretty regular meeting attendees, then a few more that come sporadically, I've combined team meetings with another local director. We promoted around the same time, and our teams are similar in size, and we have similar styles for how we work with our teams. Somehow she has more that are more interested in attending meetings and working their businesses... but it helps both of us combining our meetings. We split the training, and alternate houses. I don't know if you would want to do that with another director or have someone near you that has a similar style?

I've also been thinking of how to reach out to see what would work to get more people to attend.... but I don't think I can change habits now - so I'm just trying to focus on getting newbies in the habit of coming.

 

[PCJenni]

at the end of the day, we have to remember that some... ok a lot... of them are never going to "get it". No matter how hard we try, offer, train, beg or plead. It is a BUSINESS to us.... it is FUN, hobby, distraction, or whatever to them. Someone at conference, I wish I could credit the person but I dont remember who, said... "remember, this business comes to people when they are in transition in their life. They are looking for something. For some the something ultimately is PC. For others, it was never meant to be." This statement took a lot of "pressure" (self imposed pressure) off of me. Of course they are all not going to qualify, of course they are all not going to "get" or "want" it. It is not that I am not "enough" for them.

 

[flemings99]

Sending chocolate your way! Maybe some pb to go with it.

My hospitality had just me for a while and sometimes just 1 other person. I know it had to be frustrating to her b/c I was hospitality, but it really helped me get my bus. going and now I'm a Dir. She also has re-built her team and is rockn'. I think we both needed each other at that point. And I'm so glad she didn't stop having mtg. just b/c I was the only one coming!

I understand the whole clean the house, kick out the kids/husband (yes, I kick them out- We have a very small home and there is no other option) and so on. It is a lot of work. I've gone to using e-vite and that seems to work well. I send it out about a wk in advance and most respond. The ones who don't never come so I know they are a no. I also make sure I tell them I need to know who is coming so I have enough handouts-and so on. Last month I didn't use it and I had people calling asking if we had cxl the mtg. b/c they didn't get the invite. Guess it is working.

They also get an extra ticket for our drawing if they RSVP for the Mtg.

I think we also have to realize (even though after the work/$ we put into it) it's not about us, it's about them. Some of them maybe just can't come on the day we have it scheduled and don't have another option. For others they just don't make it a priority. Ok, and lets be honest there are some months if I wasn't the leader and people weren't coming to my house I'd skip the mtg. too!

Wishing you some HO recruit leads!! Hang in there.

 

[PamperedK]

My team gets the schedule WEEKLY! They get an email from me every monday with reminders of promos, etc....and a list of upcoming team events. Then they get a phone call the week before inviting them to the meeting. We usually have 15+ at our meetings. The key is setting the expectation at the beginning that they are not optional if you want to be successful....but it sounds like you just need new people!

 

[Nanisu]

Well, last night I had 9 at my meeting, wow. 3 were hospitality, and it was fun. We played Chefardy for the new products and those that didn't know the answers were helped by team members, we played Stealing hearts for "why is Sept, a good month to start", and we did recipe riot. I had 6:30 as the start time and couldn't start till 7:30 because they were all talking and sharing tips. It was a first for our team. One potential recruit showed up, had such a fun time she stayed afterward and signed on my computer. Has her first show booked next week. Yay.

 

[finley1991]

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

 

[pamperedlinda]

Great job Nancy!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Great results Nancy!! That sounds awesome!

 

[Sheila]

Congrats Nancy!

 

[PamperedK]

Stealing hearts for "why is Sept, a good month to start",

What's that? Nevermind I found it!